


One Night

by dixid



Category: DCU - Comicverse
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2009-12-19
Updated: 2010-09-09
Packaged: 2017-10-04 15:17:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dixid/pseuds/dixid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's only one night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shiny_glor_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiny_glor_chan/gifts).



Time passed differently in the realm of the dead. After being guided into the light by Deadman, it seemed to Jason that he'd entered neither Heaven or Hell, but a state of limbo. All the rage he'd felt during his short life had drained away with his death. Pain, both phyiscal and emotional, had been the only constant during his living years. With the pain removed Jason could clearly see beyond himself for the first time. Now he could appreciate the chance that Bruce had given him to do more with his life than become another criminal. And he'd always been thankful for Alfred's care of him, but now he understood how much of himself the older man gave to his charges. Jason knew that they would grieve for him. He'd witnessed Batman's frantic search thru the bombsite for his body. That emotion wasn't the carefully crafted image he preferred to show the world. It was too raw, too real to be an act. He wished there was a way to get a message to them, to let them know he was alright. Well, technically he was dead, but he was still happier than he'd been for most of his life.

Other people passed through the realm Jason now inhabited, but most moved on guided by solem robed figures who he thought might be angels. Jason learned to identify the newly dead by their expressions. Some were serene or even joyous and were quickly lead away, he assumed they were taken to Heaven. Other spirits arrived in dark moods, spewing tirades at anyone in their path, refusing to accept their fate. The angels who guided them looked sad but resolute. Not everyone could be saved from Hell, no matter how many chances they'd been given in life.

Jason didn't understand why none of the angels came to escort him to his final destination. He tried not to think about it too long, as if pondering the subject would draw their attention. Had the good he'd done as Robin made up for the things he'd done prior? What about when he'd gotten angry and disobeyed Bruce? Wasn't there a commandment about that? Not "Thou shall obey Batman" per se, but something about honoring your parents? Didn't Bruce qualify since he'd adopted Jason? Maybe they couldn't decide what to do with him. Maybe neither place wanted him?

After a long time, or possibly no time at all, he really couldn't tell here, one of the robed figures appeared at his side. Previously, Jason had noticed that the robed figures varied greatly in appearance. Male and female, no two looked alike and they were all nationalities, races and ages. Not one of them looked like the angels he'd seen on Christmas cards or in the paintings on display in the Gotham museum. He had come to the conclusion that each spirit's angel guide was specific to that person's expectations. If you thought you'd be greeted in heaven by your grandmother, for example, then that's who your angel was. It was the logical deduction, based on the reactions of the other spirits. It did not, however, explain why his guide looked like Nightwing, complete with the disco suit.

"You're not Dick."

His guide grinned,"No, I'm merely borrowing his appearance for awhile. My superiors couldn't figure out what your expectations were, so I got to choose. I'm Tirumular, and I'm going to be your guide."

Jason stared at the guide. "You choose Dick? Why?"

A flush spread across the guide's face. "Well, there's this other guide, Vala, and she thinks he's cute..."

The thought of an angel borrowing Dick's body to impress another angel would have made Jason double over in laughter had the circumstances been less serious. But sadly, he was too nervous about his destination to even snicker at the thought.

"Where am I going?"

Tirumular flashed Jason a bright smile. "You're getting a special assignment."

The guide explained that the regret Jason felt over the fact his death had caused pain to those he cared about had kept him from moving forward. He was still tethered to the earthly realm. During his time in limbo, the guides had debated about the best way to proceed. Should they forcibly break the tether or give Jason time to break it of his own accord? The scales were balanced, tipping neither toward Heaven or Hell. So what would they do with him once the tether had been broken? Finally it had been decided that it wasn't fair to judge him based on such short life. He had no expectations of escape from the circumstances that would certainly have led him to Hell. Yet when he'd been given the choice, that one in a million offer, he'd chosen to join Bruce and fight for justice. The Powers-That-Be, those beings much higher than Tirumular himself, speculated that if Jason had lived longer, he would have turned that chance into a lifetime of helping others. It wasn't fair to punish him for his poor excuse for a childhood. Others would be held accountable for that miserable existence. Better to give him another chance at redemption, they had reasoned.

Jason couldn't say he was unhappy about getting a reprieve from Hell. Whatever his assignment was, he planned to give it his best effort.

Tirumular signaled Jason to follow as he began walking toward a glowing archway. Jason held his head up, set his shoulders resolutely and stepped through the archway.


	2. Chapter 1 – Meeting the Assignment

When the glow from the archway faded Jason saw a very familiar scene. They were standing in the Batcave.

Batman wasn't in sight. Neither was Alfred. The only human occupant of the cave was a slight figure sitting at the main computer monitor, dwarfed by the massive chair. The dark haired boy appeared to be several years younger than Jason. However, the look of intense concentration on his face warned Jason not to underestimate the boy. He was studying old case files, pausing only to jot down notes in a spiral-bound notebook.

"His name is Timothy Drake. He's been following Batman and Robin for years, he even figured out their identities. He must have taken a thousand photos of you on patrol, but you never noticed him. Neither did Batman or Nightwing. After you died, Batman fell into a deep depression. After six months of increasingly erratic behavior, Tim decided that only Robin could save Batman, so he tried to convince Dick to some back to Gotham. Dick refused, and took Tim to Bruce. He and Alfred had to practically force Bruce to allow Tim to become the next Robin. Batman had sworn off having a partner after you died, knowing he couldn't handle losing another Robin. "

Jason sighed deeply. He'd known Bruce would blame himself for Jason's death. A small part of him was thrilled to know that he'd meant that much to the older man, but that part was pierced by the knowledge of the pain he'd caused by acting so rashly.

Tirumular continued explaining the circumstances of Tim becoming Robin. The events at the circus, his often absent parents, his nightly excursions following Batman and Robin, it seemed to Jason that Tim was already a better detective than he'd ever been and the kid hadn't even begun to really be trained yet.

"So what's my assignment?" Jason asked as Tirumular finished his tale of Tim, the Robin-to-be.

"You're going to be his guardian angel…or if you prefer another term, his spirit guide."

Jason looked skeptical, so Tirumular continued.

"Your primary function is to keep him safe by affecting the environment around him. Shielding, influencing the accuracy of a thrown object, etc. You should be able to influence him slightly. And if he's sensitive to spirits, you might also be able to communicate in a limited manner."

"Will I be able to possess people, like that Deadman guy?" Jason asked.

Tirumular smiled, pleased to see Jason taking the assignment seriously. "I'm not certain. Each guide's talent for this type of assignment develops differently, and every relationship between spirit guide and charge is unique."

Jason nodded his understanding, but his attention was already fully given to studying his new charge.


	3. Chapter 2 - Samhain, Year One

Jason smiled as he watched Tim transform into Robin. Every night was the same routine. As Tim put on the uniform, Jason would check him for new injuries. Then they would leave the changing area and Tim would pause in front of Jason's memorial case. Placing his palm against the glass as if it were a talisman, he'd close his eyes briefly. He'd recite something, lips moving silently, but not moving enough to identify the words, before moving on to the main area of the cave, ready for patrol.

It never failed to frustrate Jason that he couldn't identify what Robin was saying. He tried telling himself that it didn't matter, it wasn't like the kid was actually talking to him, but truthfully he'd have given almost anything to know. He tried to tell himself that Tim was probably gloating about being the better Robin, but he didn't really believe that. The look on the younger boy's face was almost reverent in those fleeting moments. Was he praying for a safe night on patrol? Praying for Jason's soul? Reciting the multiplication tables?

Jason turned his attention back to his charge. Tim had progressed well in his role as the new Robin during the months Jason had been watching over him. The assignment had been easy at first; Tim was still being trained when Jason became his guide. As his training progressed, Jason could feel the frustration building in his charge. His new role weighed heavily on Tim, the burden of living up to Batman's expectations almost visible in his posture. Jason could sympathize, not certain if he was fulfilling his own assignment satisfactorily. He'd realized quickly though that he could help relieve some of Tim's unease by talking aloud.

Whenever Tim started to show signs of fatigue or doubt his ability to be Robin, Jason would start talking to him. Even though he knew Tim couldn't hear what he was saying, voicing his pride in Tim's accomplishments seemed to have a positive effect on his psyche. Sometimes Jason just talked to Tim as if they were having a conversation. He'd answer the questions Tim had asked someone else, or he'd alternate between his own voice and imitating Tim to keep up both sides of a conversation. If things were really going badly Jason would stand close to Tim and put a hand on his shoulder. He'd swear that Tim could feel the comfort offered, leaning marginally against Jason's outstretched palm. In those moments the connection to Tim was stronger than any ties he'd known while he was living. He'd seen firsthand what Tim's home life was like: parents who were mostly absent, physically and emotionally. While his own life had been far less comfortable, his adoptive mother had always been there for him, even after she'd gotten sick. Did she know he'd died? Was she watching over him, as he watched over Tim?

He shook his head, as if trying to throw off the gloom settling over him. Now was not the time to be thinking about his mother, he needed to keep on task. Leaning over Tim's shoulder to read the pre-patrol report left by Batman, Jason focused on the night ahead. Tonight was Halloween, usually a time of high criminal activity, but Gotham had been experiencing a drop in crime for the past week. Brucie had a prior commitment at a charity event, but if a situation arose than needed Batman's attention, Oracle would advise him. Batman's orders to Robin: Train, update the specified logs, cross-reference a list of aliases from Interpol, and then train some more. Not such a fun night for Tim. He'd been invited to a couple Halloween parties, but he'd turned down the invitations, claiming a visit to relatives who lived out of town. Jason didn't think he'd have gone even if he hadn't been Robin. Tim didn't seem to have many friends, preferring to spend his time alone, studying anything that might help him become a better crime fighter, or brushing up on his stalking techniques. Jason still didn't understand how they'd overlooked the fact they had a follower for so many years. Tim was small, but he wasn't invisible.

Security monitors focused on the driveway leading to the manor showed the sun beginning to set. Alfred was busy handing out candy to the hordes of tricker-treaters that the Manor attracted, despite the long driveway. Later, he'd join Dr. Leslie for dinner, for once content that his services as a field medic would not be required by either Batman or Robin this evening. Jason hoped Alfred had a nice evening out, regretting again that he hadn't shown more regard for the older man while he was still among living.

As Tim updated the case files, Jason watched the sun disappear below the horizon on the security monitor. As the last trace of red-orange dipped below the tree line, he began to feel a chill. He thought it a bit strange, having felt neither hot nor cold since he'd died. Even here in the Batcave, where the dampness seeped into your bones, he'd been unaffected.

As he walked back to where Tim sat, he suddenly shivered from the cold. He caught sight of his reflection on the monitor, just as the new Robin spun around and threw a batarang at him. He instinctively ducked before remembering that he was incorporeal and the batarang wasn't a threat.

He twisted to see who Tim had been aiming at, but there was no one else in the cave. "What the fuck was that about?"

"Who are you?" Tim demanded.

"You can see me?"

"Of course I can see you. Who are you? How did you get in here? Where did you get that costume?" Tim glanced toward the case that held Jason's memorial, confirming that the second Robin's uniform was still displayed.

Jason looked down at the uniform he wore. He hadn't given much thought to the fact that he was wearing his Robin uniform in the afterlife. He assumed he was wearing it was because that was what he was wearing when he died. For the first time since his death, he wished he'd been wearing jeans and his leather jacket instead; maybe he'd be warmer. Instantly, his Robin uniform shimmered out of existence, replaced by his favorite jeans, a red t-shirt and his black leather jacket. His feet were incased in thick socks and his black boots, and were starting to warm up. Apparently, his mask was gone too. He heard Tim gasp in disbelief and then the stream of questions started again.

"How did you do that? Are you a shape shifter? Why are you taking on Jason's appearance?"

Jason grinned at Tim's questions. The kid had balls. Someone who he thought might be a shapeshifter appeared in the Batcave and he wanted to do an interrogation. He hadn't even reached for the alarm yet. Not exactly protocol, but that was fine with Jason. He didn't know why Tim could suddenly see him, but if Bruce could see him, Jason would be strapped to a gurney and be made into a lab rat. Poked, prodded and tested until he either convinced Bruce of his identity, or he simply lost his temper and left for good. No thanks. That was one reunion he'd pass on.

As Tim inched toward the button that would signal a lock-down of the cave, Jason answered his question with one of his own.

"Would you believe I'm a ghost? Actually, I'm more of an angel."

Tim snickered. "That's not what I heard." Jason's estimation of Tim rose a even higher; who knew the kid had it in him to banter with strange ghosts/shapeshifters. If he started throwing out bad puns though, Jason was going to go poltergeist on Dick.

"Is that what you were told, or did you figured that out on your own while you were stalking me when I was Robin?"

Tim looked startled, but he wasn't convinced. "Why would you be haunting me?"

"I'm not haunting you, little bird; I'm your guardian angel. It's my job to protect you from whack jobs like the Joker. And idiots like that thug who tried to slice you open with the broken bottle last week. I made sure he didn't get too close."

The current Robin was starting to look a little less doubtful, but he was far from convinced.

"How long have you been guarding me? Why are you even bothering, you don't know me?"

"I might not have known you before I died, but I've been on guard duty since you started training. I know you now."

The skeptical look reappeared on Tim's face

Jason finally remembered he had an ally who could help him prove to Tim that he was telling the truth.

"You've heard of Deadman?"

"Yes, Batman has a file on him."

"If you can contact him, he can confirm my story."

Twenty minutes later, Tim was sitting with his back to the monitor bank, staring at Jason in fascination. "You're really you? And you've been guarding me? What does that mean? Have you had to save me a lot? What am I doing wrong?"

Jason stopped the flood of questions by putting a hand over Tim's mouth.

"Slow down, little bird. It's not that you're doing anything wrong; I'm just an extra set of eyes and ears looking out for you. I can influence some things, but I can't protect you from everything. I wish I could."

He remembered the various cuts, bruises and sprains he couldn't prevent. Every time he saw Tim injured, it tore something inside of him. The kid had become more than just his assignment; he was the little brother he'd never had. He finally understood the attempts Dick had made to be his friend, even though they'd never bonded due to their misplaced anger. Maybe they'd get another chance now that he could be seen and heard again.

An alert sounded, and they turned their attention to the computer. Tim had begun a search for circumstances similar to Jason's return before their conversation with Deadman.

The results pointed to one conclusion: Samhain. A period from dusk on October 31 to dusk on November 1 when the walls separating the dead from the living thinned to its weakest point allowing spirits to cross into the human world once again.

Jason only had 24 hours among the living, at dusk tomorrow he'd be a spirit again. There was no reasoning why some spirits could cross over during Samhain and others couldn't, and there was no guarantee that he'd be able to repeat his visit any other year. This could be the only chance he had to set things right with those he'd left behind. Maybe that's why he'd been allowed to come across. He wasn't sure he was up to handling any reunions in person, but maybe he could leave some letters with Tim. Besides, Dick was off this weekend celebrating Roy's birthday. He'd probably think Jason was a hallucination brought on by too much fun. And Alfred was old, what if the shock was too much for his heart to handle?

He noticed that Tim had gone very still after reading the information provided on Samhain. "I want you back forever, not just a day."

Jason put a hand on Tim's shoulder, the gesture felt familiar and foreign at the same time. He couldn't help but smile when Tim really did lean into his touch. "Even if you can't see or hear me, I'll still have your back. Now didn't Batman order you to train tonight? Why don't I show you a few things?"

Writing the letters could wait, first he was going to spend some quality time beating up his little brother. And teaching him some dirty tricks that would help him take down their big brother someday.


	4. Chapter 3 – Samhain, Year Seven

Jason watched the sun inch its way toward the horizon, eager to see if he'd be able to cross over during Samhain this year. If ever there was a year that it was crucial that he crossed over, it was this year.

After Batman went missing, Tim convinced Dick to take on the cowl to ensure Gotham's safety. Dick allowed his concern for Damien's lack of moral compass to make the kid his Robin, effectively leaving Tim with no job, no identity, and the way Tim viewed it, no family.

Jason understood that Dick was trying to allow Tim to become his own man with his own identity, but it was the exact opposite of what Tim needed. Dick was projecting his own frustrations onto Tim, who hadn't feel stifled by the Robin identity, or by being thought of as a sidekick. He didn't understand that Tim had still felt grateful to be Robin, his forced hiatus still too fresh a memory.

He also knew something Dick would never know: Tim still had nightmares of becoming the dark version of Batman he'd met from the future. Clinging to the Robin identity was Tim's way of ensuring that didn't happen. Jason couldn't reconcile that version of Batman with Tim, and he didn't think that timeline was still possible. But that didn't make him feel any less helpless when Tim had the nightmares, and all Jason could do was try to comfort him with words that went unheard and touches that couldn't be felt.

Currently Tim's relationship with Dick was strained to the point of breaking. While he'd been bitter over being replaced, it was the belief that Bruce was still alive that had been the final straw. Tim had left Gotham searching for Bruce. No longer Robin, he was using the Red Robin name and uniform. Jason hoped to be able to ease the worst of Tim's fears, there was no trace of Bruce in the afterlife. It seemed he was still alive, but Jason had no further information to offer.

Tim's mission to find Bruce was currently in a holding pattern, leaving him free to take a day or two to regroup. Normally, he would have returned to Gotham, but with the chilly atmosphere at the manor, he'd elected to check into a luxury hotel in New York under the Timothy Wayne identity. Jason was grateful for the timing, despite frustration at the current lack of leads on the case. He'd miss his yearly peanut butter cookies from Alfred, but he really didn't trust himself to behave around Damien. That brat had tried to kill Tim, and Jason wasn't ready to forgive him yet.

Looking out the window again, he saw the sun hadn't moved much further in the sky. Time always slowed to a crawl in the hours leading up to Samhain. This year was particularly painful as the anticipation coursed through Jason. After his first visit, the following years followed the same pattern. Appear, eat cookies with Alfred, exchange awkward hugs and small talk with Dick, be interrogated by Bruce, train and hang out with Tim. Usually nothing spectacular happened. Last year, however, that pattern had been broken.

 

*******Flashback to Year Six******

In the months following the previous Samhain, Tim had lost his father, his step-mother, and his two best friends. Isolating himself from almost everyone, he'd tried to create a clone of Superboy. The numerous failed attempts were due more to Jason's influence than Tim's lack of talent. At one point, he'd feared that Kon or Bart would replace him as Tim's guardian angel, but neither had manifested where Jason could see them. Perhaps Bart was trapped in the Speed Force, eliminating him as a replacement? Jason was certain The-Powers-That-Be recognized Kon would be a better guardian for Tim. Kon had been his best friend. Jason was just the sidekick that Tim occasionally stalked. Kon had superpowers, Jason was an ordinary human. He knew who he'd have chosen to guard such a valuable asset, and it wasn't him.

As the year progressed, and no replacement showed up, Jason began to formulate a plan for Samhain. He needed to let Batman and Nightwing know about the cloning attempts, and how close to the edge Tim was teetering. Discretion was called for; he didn't want to lose Tim's freindship, but he wasn't able to venture very far from where Tim was, even during Samhain. Maybe he could slip a note to Alfred? He planned to talk to Tim about the cloning, Tim would shut him out like everyone else. He wasn't looking forward to that conversation; little bird had elevated sarcasm to an art form.

His plan was rendered useless by circumstances prior to Samhain. Batman was offworld, but left a note, complete with questions he expected answered. Alfred was assiting Dick with an emergency in Bludhaven, but there were peanut butter cookies already baked and sitting on the counter. Even Dick had recorded a message for him, threatening to double the hugs next year.

When Jason became visible at dusk, Tim was waiting in the Cave, leaning against his memorial with arms crossed, scowling.

"Why didn't you save them?" Jason hadn't been prepared for Tim's anger.

"I wish I could have, I'm sorry. My influence is limited to what directly affects you." He purposely kept his voice soft. If Tim needed a target for his anger, better it was him than someone still living, but there was no sense in provoking an armed Robin.

"It did affect me." Tim came toward him, Jason was determined to stand still and let him vent the pent up anger. Unprepared for Tim to throw arms round him and sob, Jason guessed they had jumped from the anger stage of the grieving process, into depression. Never before had Jason witnessed Tim letting his emotions show with such abandon. Even in the first days following each death, he'd remained composed, grief-stricken but silent. Whether in public or alone, his reactions were the same.

Although, he reasoned, if you knew you had a guardian angel watching over you, alone was a abstract concept. One of the issues they'd discussed that first year had been Tim's need for privacy. He insisted he could bathe and go to the bathroom without backup, thank you. And no watching him sleep, either. Jason had found the last demand a little silly, until he'd realized that Tim was referring more to activities prior to sleep than the actual act of sleeping itself. The kid had been too embarrassed back then to even admit to jerking off. So Jason had promised not to peek at anything too private. And he only broke that promise occasionally.

As the sobbing lessened and finally ceased, Tim surprised him by not moving away immediately. Even though he normally wasn't one for prolonged physical contact, especially affectionate contact, Tim's arms tightened around Jason's waist. He'd finally grown taller in the past year; his head level with Jason's shoulder as he stayed resting against the former Robin. Several long minutes passed in silence before he spoke.

"I was afraid you were gone too. I can't feel your presence like I sometimes used to before they died."

"Not going anywhere, little bird. You shut everyone out; you must have been shielding yourself from me without even noticing it."

"Maybe." Not up his usual witty standards, but Tim was feeling better than he had in recent memory, and didn't have plans to disengage from Jason's arms just yet. He was afraid the desperate loneliness that had overwhelmed him for months would creep back in the moment he let go.

They eventually let go of each other and the night progressed in the usual manner: patrolling the city, writing up the logs and training. Jason found that his ability to change appearance through visualization came in handy to create a uniform for patrol. He'd created an alternate version of the red and black Robin uniform that Tim was currently wearing, complete with full leggings. No more green panties for him, ever. His uniform also had a full cowl, rather than a mask. It wouldn't do for anyone to spot a long dead Robin patrolling Gotham. He had changed enough since his death to be unrecognizable to most who had known him, but there were a scarce few who might still identify him if they got too close. Tim had hypothesized that it was a manifestation of Jason's will, like his choice of clothing, but Jason had appeared to continue to age since he'd become a spirit. He'd tried arguing that if it was his will, he'd look older and have fewer scars. Attempts to change his hair color or eye color with his thoughts had proven futile, so he wasn't convinced.

When the dusk approached on the following day, Jason prepared for the conversation he'd been dreading. He had to convince Tim to give up his cloning experiments. He'd given anything not to have to bring it up. After the initial breakdown, they'd had a great visit. They'd had each other's undivided attention for almost 24 hours. Tim was actually smiling and bantering again. For the first time since his visits began, he found himself bitter over his impending departure from the living world. He didn't want to leave Tim; he was still too emotionally vulnerable.

Once again, Tim surprised him, this time by bringing up the subject himself.

"I'm going to stop the cloning experiments."

Jason nodded his approval, not trusting himself to speak wisely on the subject.

They were watching the sunset, sitting on the roof in still in civilian clothes. Why did this sunset always appear to happen so much quicker than the day before? Jason wished he could stop the progression of time, wished he didn't have to leave so soon.

He turned his head to look at Tim, and was startled to find himself being stared at. "What?"

Tim gave him a sad little half smile. "I wish you could stay."

Every year he'd expressed the same sentiment, and it meant a lot to Jason. He'd never felt like anything other than an unwanted burden when he'd been living, but Tim had made him feel wanted. Tim knew what if felt like to be unwanted too. Jason did his best to wipe away those memories and make Tim understand he wasn't leaving by choice.

"I wish I could stay too. But I'll still be with you, watching your back"

He brought his bare hand up to cup Tim's cheek in reassurance. It was a selfish gesture on his part, but he spent all year without being able to touch anyone, he needed one last memory of touch to hold onto.

Tim's eyes fluttered shut briefly and then he opened them again focusing a resolute expression on Jason.

Before Jason had time to question the change in moods, Tim leaned forward and brushed his lips against Jason's. Tim mirrored the placement of Jason's hand on his cheek, holding him in place while dragging slightly parted lips against Jason's mouth. Wondering briefly if he wasn't breaking some unwritten rule of being a guardian angel, but no longer able to remain passive, Jason opened his mouth granting Tim access. He was determined to let Tim control the kiss. Tim responded by sweeping his tongue along Jason's lower lip before latching onto the lip he'd just licked and biting down gently. Unable to hold back a moan, Jason moved his hand to rest at the base of Tim's neck, fingers tangling in silky dark hair. Opening eyes he didn't remember closing, Jason noticed the sun was sinking fast. Twenty minutes left, at most. What if he never got to visit again because he'd kissed his charge? Only twenty minutes to sustain him forever. He must have signaled his panic to Tim who paused briefly to glance at the skyline.

"Twenty minutes to sundown?" Jason nodded, tearing his eyes from the setting sun to look at Tim. Making eye contact, Tim smirked, and then placed a hand flat against Jason's chest, forcing him to lie back against the roof.

"Let's not waste any time then." Tim moved to join him, sprawling across Jason's body, returning to their kiss.

As Tim's erection lined up against his own, Jason felt his will to let Tim control this encounter diminishing. Soon Tim was kissing his neck, biting into his soft flesh as if trying to mark Jason as his own. The thought sent a thrill through him, causing him to become even more vocal as Tim bit down harder.

His hands grasp Tim's hips in a way he was sure would leave a bruise. He couldn't make himself let go, instead he pulled Tim's hips down as he thrust his own up, and desperately wishing they were less clothed. He felt a cool breeze on his skin as Tim started to laugh against his neck.

"Wished you were naked?" Tim asked. Jason glanced down and realized that his clothes were gone.

"Want you naked too." Jason captured Tim's lips and he rolled them over, reversing their positions. As need overrode patience and restraint, he took control. Where their first kisses had been sweet and playful, this one was hard and demanding. Jason thrust his tongue Tim's mouth with the same rhythm his hips were keeping. Tim found himself helpless to control his reactions, unable to hide anything from Jason. He'd never known that giving up control could be so utterly intoxicating.

Jason's hands found their way under his shirt, mapping out his abdomen and chest with a warm touch. When those hands began pinching his nipples lightly he whimpered, needy but not yet able to articulate what he needed. The pinches became progressively harder, each one sending a bolt of desire straight to his cock. He was grinding against Jason, but the heavy denim was preventing him from getting want he needed. Jason moved one hand to cup Tim through his jeans, palming his shaft and flicking his thumbnail over the tip. Tim cried out in need and broke off their kiss. He was beyond the coherent speech, pleading with Jason to touch him.   
"Please. Please. Jay."

Working the button and zipper on Tim's fly, Jason groaned. "I love hearing you like this. I could come just hearing you say my name like that."

Pulling away the constricting denim, he wrapped a hand around Tim's cock, jacking him steadily and continued talking low into Tim's ear.

"Is that what you needed, little bird? Look down; I want you to watch while I make you come."

Tim thrust his hips up as he watched Jason's hand move up and down his length. Steady pressure from the base to the tip, with the pad of Jason's thumb brushing over head before beginning the journey down again.

"Jay, please."

"Are you going to scream my name when you come, little bird? What about all those nights when I'm not allowed to watch you sleep? Will you be thinking about me then? Calling out my name, wishing it was my hand on your cock?"

Tim's eyes never moved from Jason's hand stroking him, as he felt the buzz of his climax start to build in him. It raced thru him gathering power, building up speed, and he knew he couldn't last much longer.

Jason bit down hard on Tim's neck, making sure to leave a mark. "Come for me."

Tim wasn't sure if it was the command or the bite, but he couldn't resist the order. He kept his eyes on Jason's hand working his cock as thick ropes of semen shot out to cover them both.

A check of the sun's position told Tim that there wasn't much time remaining, but maybe there was time enough for what he wanted. Despite his pants being halfway down his thighs, he managed to maneuver himself into position.

Jason was still painfully hard from their encounter but his eyes closed for a moment, wishing for more time with Tim, when a warm wet heat surrounded him. His eyes flew open in surprise. Tim was positioned between his legs, attempting to give him a blowjob. Whatever was lacking in experience and technique was made up for in effort and enthusiasm. Tim's lips were swollen from kisses, and slick from saliva and precome. He repeatedly tried to swallow Jason's full length, only to start choking when it hit his gag reflex.

Jason pushed a hand into Tim's hair and pulled gently. "Don't try to take so much. Just suck on the head."

Tim hummed his agreement to the plan as he backed off a bit, the vibrations causing Jason to moan.

"Harder. Fuck yeah, like that. You're good at sucking cock."

The suction around him increased with every word he spoke, and he realized that his baby bird liked dirty talk. So he kept his hand in Tim's hair and continued.

"You look hot sucking me, baby. I want to fuck your pretty little mouth."

Tim was humming again in agreement, bringing Jason closer to ecstasy. One hand curled around the base of his shaft applying the perfect amount of pressure, while the other hand cupping Jason's balls, squeezing lightly.

Their time was running out, Jason was about to take matters, literally, into his own hands. Then Tim slid his mouth further down Jason's cock, letting his teeth scrape lightly over the sensitive flesh. The pleasurable pain caught Jason off guard; he tried pulling out of Tim's mouth, the sensation pushing him over the edge before he could give any warning.

Tim swallowed as much as he could before Jason hauled him up for a messy kiss. The sun was almost gone now, too soon they be alone again despite being together.

"Now I really wish you could stay."

Jay laughed and hugged Tim tighter. "Me too."

"Jay. You could…"

He glanced down to see Tim biting his lip uncertainly. Raising an eyebrow, Jason indicated for Tim to continue.

"You could watch me sleep. Sometimes. If you wanted to."

Laughing, he pulled Tim in for another hug, and then Samhain was over again.

 


	5. Tim's Dreams

For the prompt: Tim's adolescent sex dreams featured Jason much too often.

 

Tim often had dreams of Jason, even before his first Samhain visit. The first dreams had been filled with childish nonsense. He'd spent many slumbering hours of his tween years dreaming of being rescued by Jason during the older boy's stint as Robin. Luckily, Tim had never needed rescuing, even with the late hours and sketchy neighborhoods he'd track Batman and Robin through night after night.

After Jason's death the nightmare replaced the dreams. Almost nightly he'd dream of Batman or Nightwing saving Jason from the Joker; then wake up shaking in terror to face the reality of Gotham's latest loss.

During his first few months of training with Batman he hadn't once dreamt of Jason. Intensive training has a funny way of making you too tired to dream most nights. When he did dream it was only an extension of the training. His mind would conjure up training and survival scenarios for the scant few hours he tried to sleep. He'd wake up more exhausted than when he'd gone to sleep.

Those dreams changed after his first meeting with Jason during his Samhain visit. He hadn't met Jason before his death, unlike meeting Dick at the circus, and being introduced to Bruce by his parents at the country club. Tim's nightly observation of Batman and Robin (not stalking, no matter what Dick said), hadn't prepared him for Jason's physicality. Tim had been practicing restraint and stealth from a young age, and while Jason could be sneaky, he was far from restrained. He reminded Tim of a documentary he'd seen on tigers. He was powerful, beautiful, and if provoked, very dangerous.

He'd been terrified that the nightmares would eventually come back. Once he'd learned that Jason had been assigned to be his guardian angel, or spirit guide, he'd demanded that Jason not guard him while he was sleeping. Or showering. Not that he was going to have a nightmare in the shower, but he was a teen boy, he had needs. Even if he was meeting all of needs on his own. Privacy was always good.

The new dreams began almost immediately after meeting Jason. While he was happy to leave the training dreams and usual nightmares behind, he was getting frustrated by the amount of extra laundry required to hide the evidence of his dreams from the housekeeper. For 364 nights a year, with very few exceptions it seemed, he'd have variations of the same dream.

The only night he could count on not having the dreams was Samhain when the entire Batclan stayed up 24 hours to maximize their time with Jason. It had quickly become Tim's favorite day of the year. He knew the dreams would never become a reality, but for one night he could have Jason's company. Then, on Jason's sixth Samhain visit, things had changed and he'd gotten to experience some of things he'd been dreaming about. Before Jason had faded from view, Tim shyly told the older Robin he no longer minded if Jason wanted to watch him sleep. The subsequent kiss had signaled to Tim that Jason thought that was an excellent idea.

Tim had never been comfortable in the spotlight, at least not without the Robin costume, but he found he enjoyed performing for a private audience. Just the thought of Jason watching him touch himself made him hard.

He quickly established a routine that allowed him to indulge his newfound kink. After each school day, prior to his pre-patrol nap, he'd lock himself in him room and turn on some music. After ensuring his privacy, he'd strip and spread out on his bed. At first he'd touched himself the way Jason had touched him. Then feeling adventurous, he'd expanded his performance to include talking to Jason as if he was physically there. Then he'd added a little dirty talking. His experimentation with fingering himself had led to acquiring a few toys to play with. After all, Tim didn't want his audience of one to get bored.

Now, the sun was setting, signaling the beginning of Jason's yearly visit. Even though Tim was looking forward to fulfilling more of his fantasies, he now realized that his dreams had expanded beyond just the physical. His ultimate dream-come-true would be having Jason with him year round.


	6. Happy Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This year Jason's visit is different.

Jason materialized in the hotel suite and breathed a sigh of relief. After the surprise of the first Samhain wore off, he could always tell when he was visible to the living. There was a feeling of heaviness in his body that wasn't there when he was a spirit. Apparently he wasn't going to be punished for any perceived guardian angel transgressions for having making out with his charge. Good to know, especially since he planned on doing it several more times in the next 24 hours.

While he'd been musing on his corporeal state and immediate plans; Tim had taken the opportunity to wrap himself around Jason. He draped his arms around Jason's waist, pressing his chest against the older boy's back. For a guy with a reputation of not liking to be touched, Tim was surprisingly tactile.

"Missed you," he said, pressing a cheek against Jason's shoulder blade.

"Missed you too, Little Bird," Jason replied. He laid his hands on top of Tim's, reveling in the ability to touch the younger Robin. Ex-Robin. He sighed, as much as he hated to break the mood, better to address the issue now, fight about it, and move onto the make-up sex.

"Tim, I think Bruce is still alive too."

"I know he is," Tim insisted.

"Its not that Dick doesn't believe you, but he won't let himself get his hopes up that Bruce will return."

Silence. Great, little bird was going to be stubborn about Dick. Jason couldn't believe that he was going to have to defend Dick, and to Tim of all people. He supposed when your hero fell off the pedestal you'd put them on, they fell hard. Part of him wanted to be selfish and drop the subject. He could have Tim's attention all to himself. All the devotion and hero worship that Dick had taken for granted from his Little Bird, it could be all his own. But Jason hated the despondency that constantly lurked in Tim's eyes recently, even more than he hated to share with Dick. Sometimes being the middle child really sucked.

Jason twisted around without breaking the embrace; cupping his hands around Tim's face, forcing eye contact.

"He didn't mean to hurt you; Dick only wanted to give you the chance to form your own identity. Or you could have been Nightwing, while he's playing at being Batman."

"But I loved being Robin. Damien is ruining everything."

Jason resisted the urge to snicker at the uncharacteristic whining. Pulling Tim in close, he promised that Bruce would straighten the youngest Robin out when he got back.

Deciding that the topic had been covered well enough for now, he leaned down and whispered, "Not even a kiss hello, Little Bird? I'm beginning to think you didn't really miss me at all."

Anything else he might have said was cut off as Tim stretched upwards to kiss him. Hands tangled in his hair and Jason felt himself being maneuvered backwards toward the bed. The brush of the comforter against the back of his leg was his only warning before he was shoved roughly onto the bed.

Jason was dismayed when the kiss stopped, but the sight of Tim climbing on top of the bed and straddling his hips was worth the postponement. Tim paused long enough to discard his shirt, and after a few more brief kisses started removing Jason's as well. The younger man had his knees to either side of Jason's hips, and every time he leaned in for a kiss their cocks rubbed together with delicious friction. After several minutes of this game, Jason had withstood all he could.

Grabbing Tim's hips when he came in for another lingering kiss, Jason quickly rolled them over. Now his Little Bird was laid out across the bed, legs splayed wide with Jason lying between them. The boxers Tim was wearing did little to hide his arousal; meanwhile Jason's jeans were getting uncomfortable.

"Don't move Little Bird"

Tim grinned up at him and indicated that he didn't object to that order. Jason moved to finish undressing, remembering to take off his boots first, and then his pants. As usual he'd gone commando, so when he finished with his jeans, he turned his attention back to Tim, who was ogling him in a way that Jason described as "freaky-bat-stalker'. Tim, however, preferred the term "focused".

Jason crawled back onto the bed, intending to position himself between Tim's legs, as he'd finally decided to stop staring for the moment and had raised his hips to shimmy out of his boxers. As the boxers descended down Tim's parted thighs and Jason caught a glimpse of a sight that had him insanely hard and feeling desperate. Jason stopped moving, entranced by the sight of the flared plug stretching Tim. He'd been aware of Tim's growing collection of toys, he'd been getting bolder with his one man shows for Jason's benefit, but he was still caught off guard.

When he raised his eyes to meet Tim's, the younger man was smirking at him, probably in reaction to his own shocked expression. Growling, Jason decided he needed to up his own game before he went off like a 12 year old who'd just seen his first naked girl.

Tim loved to talk dirty when he was touching himself; it always seemed to crank his lust a bit higher. That had been a revelation to Jason, who decided it was the perfect way to turn the tables on Tim. He stretched out next to him and nipped lightly at his earlobe before speaking.

"Mmm, little bird, you look so good stretched out around that plug. You've made me rethink my plan, though. I was going to suck your cock until you came for me, and then while you were completely relaxed, I was going to start stretching your tight little hole. I'd start with one finger, tease you for awhile, maybe after I had you hard again I switch to fucking you open with my tongue. I'd keep going until you were begging for me to fuck you."

Underneath Jason, Tim started to squirm and panted open mouthed, his eyes closed tight, as if he'd lose control if dealing with visual stimulation as well as auditory. Liking his results so far, Jason decided to continue talking as he wrapped his hand around Tim's cock in a move that had him thrusting up off the bed in desperation.

"Would you like that, me making you beg for my cock? Hmm, I think you would. You're such a kinky little fuck. Is that what you were thinking about when you were stretching yourself out with that plug? Were you thinking about how it would feel to have me sliding my cock inside your ass?"

Tim seemed almost beyond coherent thought now, but Jason wanted him to watch his little bird lose control completely. Using his free hand, Jason grabbed a handful of Tim's hair, pulling softly to get his attention. When Tim opened his eyes in surprise and met his gaze, Jason gave a command in his best Bat-voice.

"Come for me."

The look of intense pleasure on Tim's face combined with the feel of his slick release all over Jason's hand and torso were enough to set off his own climax. Pulling Tim close to him, he began to plan for round two.

 

Jason drifted slowly into consciousness. The process of waking was disorienting, he hadn't needed to sleep since he died. He wasn't sure if they'd been asleep for hours or merely minutes. Tim was still sleeping; half sprawled across Jason's chest, their leg entwined. Either the sleeping, or the several rounds of rambunctious sex prior to the sleeping, had his internal clock malfunctioning. He wasn't sure what time it was, but it had to be close to the 24 hour deadline.

He felt guilty about wanting to wake Tim up, but he needed the chance to say goodbye before it was too late. While he debated his chances of sneaking out of bed to check the time without disturbing Tim, he felt the younger man start to stir.

"Sleep well, Little Bird?"

"Mmm"

He'd take that as a yes; Tim wasn't always coherent before coffee. He'd order some up from Room Service before he left. If he had time.

"Any idea what time it is? My brain still isn't working; you may have melted it forever."

Tim snorted attempting to smother his laughter and then suddenly stilled. "It's late."

"How late, do we have minutes left, or seconds?"

Tim rolled over and reached toward the nightstand for his phone.

"Jay, its 6:24."

"Damn. I thought the sun was setting tonight at 5:52. I must have read the chart wrong. How much time is left?"

Tim didn't answer. Jason noticed the shaking of Tim's back as his ear picked up the sounds of sobbing. Pulling Tim back against his chest, Jason tried to comfort his charge while attempting not to give in to his own tears.

"Little Bird, I'm sorry. You know I don't want to go, but I'll be watching over you. I love you."

Tim pressed his phone into Jason's hand. "Check the time," he said in a shaky voice.

Jason flipped the phone open.

 

6:26 AM NOV 2

 

"Is that the right time?" Jason asked.

Tim rolled over and nodded.

"How am I still here? Not that I'm complaining, I just don't understand."

After considering, Tim put forth his opinion. "I imagine that I've finally gone insane and this is all a really good hallucination. Or you've come back from the dead. It happens a lot in our line of work."

"If you're hallucinating, then we both are, but we're not, because I know I'm sane," replied Jason. "And why would I come back, why not Kon or Bart instead? They're more useful than I was, and they've both saved the world."

"If you feel that you don't deserve your release, I'm sure we could find you a new charge," said a new voice from the foot of the bed.

Jason and Tim both jumped and turned toward the intruder.

"Tirumular, what are you doing here? Why am I still here?" Jason glanced at Tim to confirm that he could also see the spirit.

"I'm here to release you from your duties as a Guardian Spirit. Just a formality, your service actually ended at sunset last night, but I saw no need to wake you to deliver the news."

"I'm being fired? That means I won't be coming back next year, doesn't it?"

Jason felt the hot trail of tears start sliding down his cheeks. He didn't care what happened to him, be it Heaven or Hell, but he'd promised Tim he'd be there for him. It wasn't fair, not when Tim had lost so many others recently. He felt Tim's hand wrap around his wrist, as if keeping a hold on Jason could prevent the guide from taking him away.

"No Jason, you misunderstand. The Powers-That-Be aren't firing you, they're freeing you. You've earned your redemption. They decided to send you back to this realm rather than onward to Heaven. It happens sometimes with Hero types."

Tirumular shrugged, suggesting that he wouldn't assume to know what was better for mankind that the Powers-That-Be.

Any further questions Jason might have had were driven from his mind by the ringing of Tim's cell phone.

Tirumular grinned, "I'll leave you to deal with that. And Tim, be sure tell him Vala said hello." And with those words, the guide disappeared from view.

Tim flipped open his phone, "Drake."

Jason saw his eyes go wide in shock, and wondered who was on the phone. Then he heard Tim's desperate whisper.

"Kon?"

**Author's Note:**

> For the Fic Exchange of DOOM! Thank you to museofspeed for hosting the exchange, and to swingbound for being a great beta and comma wrangler.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the characters used in this story. All copyrighted properties belong to their legal owners; I'm just borrowing them for a moment of fun.
> 
> Inspired by this scan; http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1284880.html?#cutid1


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